A bank owned sign is seen in front of a foreclosed home on December 7, 2010 in Miami, Florida.
The Florida real estate market is showing signs it has finally hit bottom, which is good news for schools suffering budget cuts due to a declining property tax base.
Martin County officials reported the county’s property tax base declined 1 percent last year. That’s less than county officials expected and the smallest decline in five years.
Former California State Sen. Gloria Romero help write the nation's first parent trigger law.
Former California State Sen. Gloria Romero writing at redefinED takes education historian Diane Ravitch and others to task over the inspiration for the parent trigger.
Why does it matter to Florida?
Because the parent trigger was the most contentious education bill during the last legislative session and it’s coming back when lawmakers return in 2013. The bill allows parents at failing schools to choose how to restructure the school, including replacing faculty or principals, closing the school or converting to a charter school.
Ravitch has argued the bill is the brainchild of the conservative-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council. But Romero said the bill was born in California, among Democrats:
Children's Librarian Charles Roig entertains kids in the Dream Big, Read program.
Florida students can exercise their reading skills over the summer through a free program at their public library.
The goal is to mitigate the summer reading loss that leaves some students two years below grade level by the time they reach middle school.
The program is helped by a collaborative effort among states to make more low-cost summer reading materials available to local libraries.
Librarians in Miami kicked off the “Dream Big, Read” program thanks to a federal grant. Charles Roig got things started by leading the kids in a song and dance session.
“Hopefully they leave with a joy of reading and interest in reading,” said Roig.
The program is designed to help students avoid what’s become known as the summer slide.
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